A gay Egyptian man denied asylum in the United States and profiled in the Washington Blade newspaper in January, has now won asylum based on the recent history of anti-gay harassment in his home country.

An Egyptian appeals court in Damanhour, found the "Damanhour Five" not-guilty of all charges. The five men had been convicted in March 2002 of consensual homosexual conduct, and had been sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment and 3 years' probation.